At First Sight
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: When a young blind girl transfers to Royal Prep, many people go out of their way to make her feel "comfortable" and welcomed. However, all she really wants is to be treated the same as they do, and to fulfill her dream of being in the Flying Derby. Can everyone's favorite princess see to it that she gets her wish? *Challenge winner theblindwriter95 requested this story.*
1. New Arrival

At First Sight

Summary: When a young blind girl transfers to Royal Prep, many people go out of their way to make her feel "comfortable" and welcomed. However, all she really wants is to be treated the same as they do, and to fulfill her dream of being in the Flying Derby. Can everyone's favorite princess see to it that she gets her wish? *Challenge winner theblindwriter95 requested this story.*

Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First or any characters associated with the show. :)

A/N: So! This is the story requested by theblindwriter95, who also has asked me to issue a challenge to you all. The girl mentioned in here is named Penny. Respond in the reviews to theblindwriter95 if you can answer this question: What Disney film is Penny's name from (hint: any movie before the late 2000s such as 2006-2009)? Again, this is not _my_ challenge. Lol. I'm not doing any more challenges-for-story-requests for a while, because I have about ten other stories in the works that I really need to focus on. So this can be a challenge for fun. Good luck!

~*~Chapter One: New Arrival~*~

Everyone could pretty much tell that spring was right around the corner. The trees were starting to gain a few green leaves again, and the skies weren't as dark and leery as they had been. The birds would even leave their nests more often to explore the skies or to search for a delicious snack on the earth.

Sofia hummed as she planted a brand new plant in the garden: an orchid. An epidendrum orchid, to be more specific. Her particular choice was a mixture of red and purple, something she'd come to appreciate after spending so much time with the latter color. Giggling about this fact, she dusted off her hands and stood from the grass, gathering her watering can to give the new blossom a drink.

"There you are," she cooed gently to her flower, setting the watering can aside and caressing the petals softly as she smiled. "Soon, you'll be much taller than this. It just takes some time. You'll see." She continued her humming as she skipped inside the castle once more.

"I heard we're supposed to get a new student tomorrow," Amber informed her siblings that afternoon as they were playing a game together. "Hildegard said she's a girl from a kingdom no one's even heard of."

"What's the kingdom's name?" James asked absently as he attempted to peak at Sofia's cards, but grinned when she yelped and shoved him away.

Amber offered her brother a bored stare. "James…if no one has ever heard of it, how am I supposed to know the name?"

He laughed as he looked back at his own cards. "Because, sis, you know almost _everything_. Well, if it's gossip, you know almost everything. If it's trigonometry, you're in trouble."

The blonde girl huffed. "You're so vexing."

"I don't know what that means, but if it means 'awesome,' then thanks. I agree." He beamed happily.

Sofia smiled and rolled her eyes at the twins' argument. "James…" She grinned as he cast her a goofy smile. "Do you have any kings?"

The smile immediately dropped from his face as he handed over his cards. "We need to play a game that I can actually _win_ for once."

An hour later found the youngest royal in Cedric's workshop. She had told him about her new orchid and inquired as to useful properties it may have.

"That's quite astute for a nine-year-old," Cedric complimented, smiling as he pulled a book from his study. "Indeed, the orchid may very well be used in some spells. It's especially good for love potions, actually." He paused as he looked toward his apprentice curiously. "Um, Sofia? Is there anything you need to tell me about?"

The girl blinked before blushing brightly. "N-No, Mr. Cedric! I was just curious if—"

He laughed. "Calm down, dear girl. I was just joking."

"O-Oh…" She smiled uneasily. "Sorry, Mr. Cedric. Jokes go over my head sometimes."

"It's quite all right. Now, other properties include enhancement of elegance and beauty." He smirked. "So basically, it's a very girly flower."

She grinned. "Which I noticed you had upstairs near the window." She gestured upward, smirking as he gaped at her.

"My mother gave that to me on Valentine's Day," he defended with his arms folded. "I couldn't very well say, 'Oh, thank you, Mummy, but I can't accept this flower. It's too feminine.' She'd never bake me another Fly Cake again."

Sofia giggled. "You're so silly sometimes, Mr. Cedric." She smiled as she gazed out the window absently, watching the clouds drift by as night began to set in.

Cedric watched her for a few moments before shaking his head. The princess was rather spacy during the latter parts of the day, and now was no exception. Realizing it would be nearly impossible to hold her attention if she kept getting distracted, he placed a hand on her shoulder, watching as she snapped out of her dreamlike state. "If you're tired, we can always put this off until later."

She laughed softly. "I'm not exactly tired. I'm thinking… The stars never really go away during the daytime, right? They're just hiding?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Right…"

Sofia blinked and shook her head with a yawn. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cedric. I don't know what that even has to do with anything." She smiled sleepily up at him, garnering a chuckle from her friend.

"And maybe that's a sign that you _should_ go to bed, Princess Sofia…" Seeing her about to protest, he held his hands up to her to silence her actions. "Uh-bup-bup. Both the lesson and I will be here tomorrow. Right now, you need your rest. Go on."

The princess sighed in resignation before grinning.

"Oh, I know that look—whoa!" Cedric barely had time to register the girl jumping toward him before he caught her, effectively hugging her—which was obviously what she wanted. "You have _got_ to stop doing that," he chided lightly, chuckling in spite of everything.

"Never going to happen," she replied happily as she felt him lower her to the ground and release her. "Thanks for catching me, Mr. Cedric, and not letting me fall." She smiled and waved as she left the room.

The sorcerer smiled thoughtfully. "Consider it returning the favor, Princess," he muttered quietly after she'd left before he began putting things away for the night.

The following day, the kids from Enchancia arrived at school a bit earlier than usual. James and Amber headed inside to their classroom while Sofia waited outside for Vivian to arrive.

The auburn-haired princess put her head in her hand as she waited…and waited…and waited. She sighed, realizing Vivian was probably not going to show up that day. Maybe she was sick. She'd have to check on her.

Yawning, the Sofia turned to head inside before running straight into someone. She gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She knelt down to the girl she'd run into, and she attempted to help her pick up the books that had scattered on the ground. Eventually, they'd managed to get everything into her backpack again.

"It's all right," the other girl responded with a smile before laughing. "No harm done."

Sofia looked at the girl before blinking. She saw that the girl had golden brown hair tied into long braids, a red and purple gown with a red pendant fastened around her neck, and grayish-blue eyes. It hit her instantly that this girl was unable to see. Regardless, she smiled, helping the other princess to her feet. "My name is Sofia."

The new princess giggled. "I'm Penny. I'm new here." She felt around for something and sighed. "Oh, not again…"

Sofia observed her actions and then noticed a purple cane lying on the ground. She picked it up and placed it into the other girl's hand. "Is this yours?"

Penny brightened. "Yes! Thank you so much, Sofia." She laughed lightly and gestured toward her eyes. "Kind of hard to find it when I don't _watch_ what I'm doing, right?"

The auburn-haired princess giggled at this girl's sense of humor. She admired that in people. "Yeah, I guess so. Are you going to class?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure exactly where I'm supposed to be." She shrugged as she pulled out a piece of parchment and felt the raised bumps on the fabric. "I'm supposed to be in…Ms. Fauna's classroom?"

Sofia smiled and linked arms with the girl, making her new acquaintance brighten. "I'll take you there. That's where I'm heading too."

"Awesome! So what's this class all about anyway?"

"Sorcery," she returned happily. "My favorite. What's your favorite subject?"

Penny sighed with a shy grin. "It's not exactly a subject…but I love the whole idea of the flying derby. I'd love to actually be in one someday."

Sofia blinked in surprise before smiling. She believed that anyone could do anything if his or her heart was settled on it. "Maybe one day, you'll get your wish."

"Thanks, Sofia." She chatted on with her new friend as they made their way to the first class of the day.

"What took you so long, Sofia?" Amber asked her sister with a slightly irritated voice before she saw that the younger princess was not alone. She blinked. "O-Oh, sorry!" She gasped when she realized the new girl's apparent dilemma, seeing as Sofia was aiding her in some way. "Oh, you are the new princess, right? Oh, my, you poor dear girl. Do you need some help?" She stood up, pushing James from his seat in the process.

"Ow!" the other blonde complained as he hit the floor unceremoniously. "Amber!"

"James, not now." She reached forward and took the books from Penny, who seemed rather confused. "Here, just hold onto me and I'll get you to your seat."

Sofia raised an eyebrow at the other girl. "Um, Amber? What are you doing?"

"I'm helping our new student, of course. What does it _look_ like I'm doing?" She froze, realizing the verb she'd used and hoping she hadn't offended the other student. "I'm sorry. I mean, uh…"

Penny sighed and let it fade into a humored laugh. "I'm fine, really. I've kind of been blind my whole life, so I'm used to managing my way around pretty well."

"Well, if you're sure. But if you need my help, my name is Amber. Just follow the sound of my beautiful voice." She giggled.

James rolled his eyes as he stood up. "And I'm James, her twin she just shoved onto the ground for no apparent reason."

Penny laughed. "I'm Penny. I just transferred here." She held out her hands toward Amber's direction. "My books?"

"Oh, right, here." She handed the books back to Penny and smiled happily. "If I can be of any help…"

Sofia shook her head. "She'll let you know, Amber… Penny, you can sit with me today. Vivian is apparently out sick or something."

"Thank you, Sofia," she responded gratefully, sliding into her seat far more gracefully than even Amber could have managed. She smiled as she felt the other girl sit down next to her. "Were those your siblings?" she asked quietly enough amongst the student chatter so they wouldn't be overheard.

"Don't hold it against me," Sofia returned with a small laugh, making Penny giggle in response. "Yeah, they are. And Amber means well… She's just a little…pushy." She grimaced, remembering several instances where her sister had inserted herself into many situations that were none of her concern in the past. "Actually, she's _very_ pushy. She doesn't take 'no' for an answer a lot of times."

"I noticed. She'll come to find that I'm very independent and am perfectly capable of handling things myself." She smiled lightly and opened one of her books, tracing the pages with the Braille print.

Sofia tilted her head as she watched the other girl curiously. This new student would be a very nice addition to Royal Prep, and she could possibly teach the other students a thing or two about competence.

Fauna floated into the room, greeted her students, and began their lessons for the day.

To be continued…

A/N: Okay! So I want to make this story as content-oriented as I can, but I don't want it to be one huge chapter like last time. Since I want to focus on detailing, I'm going to separate this story into chapters. I think maybe two more chapters could possibly complete this story, but we'll see. I have a lot of content to cover. ;) Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying it. I'm going to work on chapter two soon. ~AquaTurquoise


	2. Penny for Your Thoughts

At First Sight

Summary: When a young blind girl transfers to Royal Prep, many people go out of their way to make her feel "comfortable" and welcomed. However, all she really wants is to be treated the same as they do, and to fulfill her dream of being in the Flying Derby. Can everyone's favorite princess see to it that she gets her wish? *Challenge winner theblindwriter95 requested this story.*

Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First or any characters associated with the show. :)

A/N: Hey, everyone! Okay, so clearly I've been around lately, but I haven't posted any updates for this story until now. This one requires more thought and details, of course, so I'd been working on getting my contemplations together for this one. This chapter deals with some of Penny's experiences at Royal Prep and her dream she mentioned last chapter. Here we go!

~*~Chapter Two: Penny for Your Thoughts~*~

After the school day was behind them, Sofia invited Penny to spend some time with her collecting some items from the greenhouse. Since Cedric hadn't taken the opportunity last time to gather his vex vine, she figured she'd get him some and a few surprises while she was at it.

In the process, Amber and James had volunteered to tag along, especially since they didn't want to show up at the castle _without_ their sister. Plus, the twins were curious about Penny and really wanted to know more about her for some reason.

"Ow!" Amber complained as she tripped over a root and fell into her brother, knocking him onto the ground. "Ugh, stupid plants need to be careful where they're growing!"

James grinned and moved his sister off of him before helping her up. "That was a wonderful pun, Amber. You really should consider writing that one down." He laughed when she playfully slapped him on the shoulder. "It's a joke, sis. Lighten up."

Penny smiled thoughtfully. "You know, I know I'm the blind one and everything, but from what I gather, you two are far clumsier than I am…"

The blonde boy just snickered. "No, Amber just needs to be more careful and grow a right foot to accompany her left one."

The first princess of Enchancia huffed, dusting off her dress. "Sofia, what are we doing in here anyway?"

"I wanted to get Mr. Cedric some things for his potions."

"Ah, yes, Cedric…" James nudged Penny playfully, making her smile. "You're going to hear all about Cedric if you hang out with Sofia long enough."

"Who is he?" Penny asked, tilting her head.

"Our Royal Sorcerer," Amber responded as she caressed one of the chrysanthemums nearby. "And Sofia's mentor."

"Oh, are you a sorceress in addition to being a princess, Sofia?"

"Not yet," the auburn-haired girl giggled. "I've got a long way to go." She picked up a basket and started gathering various plants and seeds she saw necessary.

Amber snapped one of the daisies nearby and nestled it into her hair. "Ooh, how pretty!"

James rolled his eyes. "Oh, great… Amber the flower child."

Penny shuffled forward and grasped a bloom carefully, inhaling its scent. "Mm, orange blossom…" She smiled thoughtfully. "My favorite."

"I hear they use that in a lot of perfumes," Sofia told her happily as she finished gathering her picks.

"They do. My mom had a perfume made just for me last year on my birthday. She called it 'Penny for Your Thoughts,' and it smells amazing…"

"Well, here." James grabbed some garden sheers and snipped the bloom from its stalk, handing it to Penny. "No one will mind if you take this. Sofia and I can regrow just about anything by now."

Penny smiled appreciatively toward the boy. "You garden, James?"

He grinned and straightened his outfit, even though she wouldn't know any different. "I'm practically an expert."

Amber rolled her eyes as Sofia tried to hide her grin. "_Now_ who's the flower child?"

The three students left the greenhouse and chatted along the way. Sofia indicated that she wanted to say goodbye to Minimus (which the twins just shrugged off and Penny nodded curiously to). The auburn-haired princess took Penny's hand and led her to the stables.

"Who is Minimus?" she asked curiously, getting Sofia's attention. "One of the stable workers?"

The other princess giggled. "No… He's my friend…and a flying horse."

Penny raised her brows in surprise. "As in…a Flying Derby horse?"

"You could say that." She giggled as they approached the purple horse. "Hi, Minimus!"

To the new student, what followed was a genuine conversation…though Sofia spoke English and Minimus neighed in response. She assumed perhaps the girl was simply enthralled with her animal friend, and she couldn't really blame the girl. She also loved animals, especially horses.

"Penny, would you like to meet him?" Sofia asked gently.

"…Okay…" She reached her hand out, the other still holding onto her cane and orange blossom, as Sofia carefully directed her to Minimus's mane. She smiled as she softly petted the horse, hearing his neighs of content. "Hi, Minimus. I'm Penny."

"I think you've made a new friend." Whether Sofia said such to Penny or Minimus remained undetermined, but they were true words either way.

After bidding the talkative horse goodbye, Sofia met up with her siblings as Penny stood near her own coach.

"We'd better be getting home," Sofia told the girl with a smile. "If we stay much longer, our steward Baileywick will probably send out a search party to find us or something. He's slightly overprotective."

"Even more so than our mom and dad," James snickered.

"I understand completely," Penny acknowledged as her coachman helped her in. "Our steward Niles is much like that." She giggled. "So, tomorrow then?"

"Yes, tomorrow!" Amber called as she pushed her brother and sister into the coach. "Nice to meet you!"

"You too," the shorter girl replied with a smile.

The two coaches departed for different locations.

In her kingdom of Brillancia (pronounced Bree-yahn-see-ah), Penny arrived home safely. She thanked the coachman as he helped her down onto the cobblestone. She laughed as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. "Hello, Reina," she greeted fondly as she placed her hand on her younger sister's head.

Reina, her hair done up into pigtails of the same color as Penny's, and eyes that sparkled like amethyst stones, giggled and hugged her older sister tighter. She was all of three years old, so she was full of energy. Unlike Penny, she was able to see very well, and often times she would act as her older sister's eyes if necessary.

"I missed you today!" she informed Penny in a hyperactive tone. "Niles baked some cookies! Oh, and Mommy got you a new crown for the ball this weekend."

Penny sighed upon hearing that. Another ball… She was so tired of balls. She didn't really want to play the role of "perfect princess" and attend every meaningless party that came along. She knew her parents meant well and liked networking, but sometimes she just wanted a calm and quiet weekend…for _once_. "Great."

"Come on! If we beat Niles to the kitchen, we can steal some cookies before dinner!"

Laughing at her little sister's enthusiasm, Penny had no choice but to follow her as their hands remained entwined.

That night, Penny placed her cane by her bed and smiled as she put the orange blossom above her bed, tying it to the post with part of the canopy rope. She unbraided her hair and shook her head slightly as the waves tumbled down to her waist. After changing into a nightgown, she climbed into bed and lay still, unseeing eyes gazing through the darkness as she recalled a memory from several years ago.

"_Mommy," three-year-old Penny said happily, pulling on her mother's dress. "I hear the horsies! And people get to ride them. I want to ride one!"_

"_No, Penny," the Queen of Brillancia, Queen Penelope, stated simply. "You must think of your condition, sweetheart. If you were to ride a flying horse, you might fall."_

_Penny frowned and folded her arms. Her blindness always seemed to get in the way of things she wanted to do—and probably could do if people would just give her a chance. "I'm blind, Mommy, but that doesn't mean I can't do it."_

"_Of course not, my love, but it's for the best. I don't want you to get hurt."_

_She sighed sadly and turned her head away. "How can I…if you never let me even try?"_

Penny sighed and wiped a stray tear from her cheek as she rolled over and drifted off to sleep.

"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia giggled as she slipped into the workshop a little later than usual. In fact, it was nearly time for supper as she found her friend reclining in his chair with his feet propped up on his table.

"Sofia!" he yelped in surprise as he fell backwards onto the floor. He sighed and gazed up at her, giving her a pointed stare. "Again with these surprise entrances? You'd think by now you'd know better."

"And you'd think by now, _you'd_ know by now that…that's just not gonna happen." She grinned and knelt down to him, placing her basket on the floor as she helped him up. "Did I wake you up?"

"Well, I was just resting my eyes… When you didn't show up a few hours ago, I assumed we weren't having a lesson today and decided to get a little nap in."

Sofia smiled. "Well, we can skip the lesson tonight. I'm running behind anyway." She picked up the basket and set it on his table. "But first, I brought these for you."

Cedric blinked and rummaged through his new supplies his apprentice had gathered. There he found his vex vine, some poppies, various seeds, aloe plants, marigolds, and numerous herbs. He smiled appreciatively down at her. "You went to the greenhouse, I see?"

"It's amazing how you came to that conclusion," she joked with a giggle as he placed the many plants onto his table.

"Thank you, Sofia. I have something for you, too." He turned and walked to his bookshelf, extracting a book and opening it. He pulled out a brand new training wand—one that sparkled with what appeared to be purple glitter, but it didn't leave a trail like actual glitter would. He handed it to her. "Here you are."

"Wow," she breathed in surprise, holding the wand as if it were some precious treasure…and to her, it was. "Mr. Cedric…"

"I made it myself," he told her proudly. "My father sent it off to have its magic encased, and it just arrived recently. I figured this would help tremendously with our lessons, since you're getting much stronger—if that day at your school is any indication."

Sofia beamed and threw her arms around Cedric. "Thank you so much!"

He chuckled and returned her hug. "You're welcome, Sofia. Be careful, though. It's still very potent, as it is brand new and unused." Seeing her shuffle backwards, he smiled at her. "We'll test it out tomorrow. Sound good?"

"Sounds great!" She clasped her new wand to herself carefully. "Oh, um…would you be all right keeping it for me? Knowing my luck with the way things seem to disappear around me, it may be safer here."

Cedric nodded at the ironic statement. "Good point." He held out his hand and grasped the wand carefully as she handed it over. "We'll put that right here." He set it back into the book and placed it in the basket she'd brought. "Till tomorrow then, Princess."

She smiled and nodded happily. "Good night, Mr. Cedric." She left the workshop with a spring in her step, her mood highly lifted.

Cedric chuckled at her energetic response before turning to put his new ingredients away.

To be continued…

A/N: You're going to see more of Penny's perspective next chapter, and perhaps even Niles (yep, totally based on Niles from "The Nanny" and even from "Frasier," and plus I just love that name). Hope you're enjoying it so far! And as always, thanks for your support and all of your reviews for the other stories/chapters. I especially hope theblindwriter95 is enjoying this, as the initial requester and inspiration for the story!

CedricAmber: Lol, girl, you need to watch TPATF! It's a great movie. And as far as Mama Odie goes, look up "Dig a Little Deeper" on YouTube. You'll see where her silliness came from. :P It's awesome.


	3. Through Her Eyes

At First Sight

Summary: When a young blind girl transfers to Royal Prep, many people go out of their way to make her feel "comfortable" and welcomed. However, all she really wants is to be treated the same as they do, and to fulfill her dream of being in the Flying Derby. Can everyone's favorite princess see to it that she gets her wish? *Challenge winner theblindwriter95 requested this story.*

Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First or any characters associated with the show. :)

A/N: Here's an update for you all. This week has gone by SO SLOWLY, so in celebration of it finally being over, here's chapter three of "At First Sight." In this part, you'll get to see Penny being introduced to the flying aspect of the sport Flying Derby (though likely not the actual Flying Derby itself), Sofia using her new training wand…sort of, a bit more about Penny's family (especially her little sister and the steward Niles), overly-helpful students, and more.

~*~Chapter Three: Through Her Eyes~*~

"Penny, Penny, Penny!"

The new Royal Prep student made a sound of discomfort as a hyperactive bundle of joy plopped onto her stomach and began shaking her fervently. "Reina," she began in a slight warning tone, "I swear if you're waking me up at midnight again…"

"I'm not!" the three-year-old girl insisted with a grin. "It's time to get up! You've got school today!" She sighed and collapsed against her older sister, hugging the taller girl around her neck as she playfully caressed her now-wavy hair. "You've got to learn stuff—more than just princess stuff, though. You've got to learn all kinds of stuff, and then teach me this new stuff, okay?"

"Just how many of those cookies did you eat last night?" Penny asked with a small laugh as she sat up, prying the little one from her as best as she could. She sighed in resignation when she realized her little sister wasn't going to budge, but she had a plan. "Reina, if I let you braid my hair for the day, will you let me breathe again?"

"Hmm, okay!" She grinned happily and accepted some ribbons from her older sister as she stood up, running her hands across Penny's hair. "Now this won't hurt a bit, but if it does, just don't scream at me this time, mm-kay?"

Penny winced before the morning task even began. "…No promises."

About ten minutes later, Penny (whose hair was actually nicely braided thanks to Reina) was dressed and held her cane in one hand and her sister's hand in the other as she led them down the hallway into the dining room for breakfast.

"Good morning, girls," Queen Penelope greeted gently as she watched her daughter amble in before sitting at the table. She smiled as she watched Reina guide Penny into the chair before jumping into her own chair next to her. She knew how much Reina looked up to Penny, so it was nice to see their relationship growing even more.

"Good morning, Mama!" Reina grinned. "Morning, Papa!" She glanced at the king, King Alonso, and waved happily.

The king of Brillancia was a fair and kind man. In contrast to his wife's darker features (hair, eyes, and skin), he had a darker shade of golden hair and stormy eyes. He returned his younger daughter's smile. "Good morning, little Reina," he greeted. "And what is on your agenda for the day, my dear?"

"Bugging Niles," she responded honestly, making her parents laugh.

"I heard that, Princess Reina," a knowing voice warned playfully as the steward of Brillancia, Niles, appeared next to her. He had brown-going-on-gray hair swept back into a neat style, knowing brown eyes, and a perfectly steamed light blue suit. "Don't think I don't know who stole my cookies last night."

The little girl gasped in mock surprise. "I would _never_!"

"Your Majesties," Niles began somewhat solemnly, "I am sorry to inform you both that Princess Reina has quite the sweet tooth. In fact, if I counted correctly, I do believe twelve of my cookies and other pastries went missing last night."

"_Twelve_?" Penny laughed in surprise.

Reina folded her arms and glared up at her friend and steward. "Tattle tale."

Queen Penelope shook her head. "Well, then, my darling… You won't be needing any birthday cake tomorrow, I presume?"

The youngest member present gasped. "You wouldn't do that, right, Mommy? I only turn four once, you know!"

The queen smiled softly. "We'll see. No desserts today though, and then we'll talk."

King Alonso looked sympathetically toward his younger daughter. "Be brave," he advised playfully, making her sigh.

Penny lit up when she smelled a stack of pancakes placed before her, and she promptly began eating. She was going to need plenty of strength to make it through the day, especially with all the stairs she had yet to encounter: the stairs leading from her castle, the steps to the flying coach, the steps up Royal Prep…so many of them, it seemed.

"How do you like your new school, Penny?" Queen Penelope inquired as the rest of their plates filled up with breakfast items.

"I like it very much," she responded softly. "There's even a…" She hesitated to tell her mother about the Flying Derby team and horses, especially with all that had occurred in the past. "Um…a nice greenhouse that even has orange blossoms in it…"

"Wonderful!" King Alonso nodded in delight as he cut into his stack of pancakes. "I always said that more prep schools needed orange blossoms in their greenhouses."

Queen Penelope eyed him sarcastically. "Did you, dear?"

"Indeed!" He grinned and began eating, ignoring his wife's eye roll.

Penny just smiled at her father's reaction and shook her head, returning to her breakfast.

An hour later, students began flooding the campus of Royal Prep. Penny waited at the steps with her cane grasped in her hands. She was hoping to run into someone she recognized, vocally of course, but she was just about to give up before she heard her name called.

"Good morning, Penny!" Sofia greeted as she ran over to the girl. She loosened her hold on her backpack before reaching out to gently tap Penny on the shoulder. "How are you?"

Penny sighed and smiled in relief. "Better now," she admitted with a giggle. "Good morning, Sofia. And where are your brother and sister?"

"Um…" She glanced behind her and watched as the twins were struggling to meet up with their younger sibling. "They're coming. They had a little bit of an accident this morning…" She snickered as the blondes approached.

"An accident?"

"Oh, is that what we're calling it?" Amber asked as she rolled her eyes. "It was no accident. Mr. Let's-See-What-Happens-If-I-Use-A-Sticky-Spell here completely missed his target this morning and has managed to get us stuck to each other…"

Penny seemed confused. "Why would you need a sticky spell?"

"Good question, Penny!" Amber smiled saccharinely at James, making him blink and back away slightly before their bond prevented him from moving any more. "Care to explain, dear brother?"

James smiled guiltily. "I was just trying to glue a vase back together…because I accidentally broke it, and the last thing I need is to get in trouble again."

Sofia snickered. "You're always getting into trouble."

"True, but now I guess our twin song makes more sense." He grinned toward the blonde girl and nudged her gently. "You really are always stuck with me, Amber."

Amber rolled her eyes. "How did I know you were going to use a ridiculous pun with all of this?" She looked toward Sofia pleadingly. "Sofia, _please_ tell me Cedric taught you a spell to un-sticky us."

"I'm sorry, Amber," the younger girl lamented though smiling at the situation. "If he did, I don't remember it. But maybe Ms. Flora can get you two unstuck."

"Ugh… We'll have to walk into the school like this!" The older twin shot an annoyed glare at her brother. "You are in _so_ much trouble."

He smirked and shrugged carelessly. "What else is new?"

Not long after, the quartet joined the rest of their classmates in the classroom. Ultimately, Flora did manage to free the twins, much to their relief, before pressing on with the lesson for the day.

When the first class ended, Penny stood from her desk and sighed as her books tumbled onto the ground. "Great…" She used her cane to lower herself to the floor to start gathering her scattered materials.

"Here, let me help you," James said as he knelt next to the girl and started gathering her papers.

"Oh, that's okay, James," Penny insisted as she reached out, felt his hands, and took the papers from him. "I can do it."

"Nonsense," Hildegard declared as she nodded toward Clio, who also started to help. "A friend in need—"

The shorter girl blew her bangs from her eyes in exasperation. "Please don't use a cliché on me…"

"—Is a friend indeed!" Clio concluded with a giggle, picking up one of the girl's books. "Look, Hildy! She likes the same kinds of books you do." Clio blinked in surprise when Penny pulled the book from her hand. "But how do you read them if you can't…you know…see?"

Penny huffed and gathered the rest of her things into her arms.

"You guys, I think she's fine," Sofia told her friends as they continued trying to help the other student. "She's trying to tell you…"

"Don't be silly, Sofia," Hildegard advised, looking toward the younger princess. "We're merely trying to help."

"I can do it myself!" Penny snapped, standing with her items in her hands as she glared in the general direction where she assumed a majority of the overly helpful students were. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I'm helpless!" She shoved her books into her bag before fastening it together and took her cane, quickly exiting the room.

"What was that all about?" James asked, scratching his head in confusion.

Flora smiled kindly. "Perhaps it came across a little pushy, Prince James," she suggested. "After all, Penny has been sightless her entire life. She can handle things quite well on her own. If nothing else, put yourself in her position. How would you like it if people crowded around you to try to 'help' you out each time something went wrong?"

"I'd like to think I'd be a little more grateful," Hildegard stated, huffing and wielding her fan, waving it in front of her face.

"You must 'see' things through her eyes," Flora suggested with an air of thoughtfulness.

Clio appeared to be horribly confused. "But…she _can't_ see, Ms. Flora…"

The fairy laughed. "It was a metaphor, my dear."

Amber glanced toward Sofia, who seemed perplexed. "Penny's really upset…"

"I'll talk to her," the younger girl assured the older princess. She smiled and placed a hand on Amber's shoulder to comfort her. "Ms. Flora, I'll be back soon, I promise." She received a nod from the headmistress before leaving.

The other princesses and princes moved on to their next class.

Sofia finally located Penny where she assumed she would be: near the stables. Penny leaned against one of the gates and gently petted a horse, and the princess of Enchancia was pleased to see Minimus enjoying his massage. She quietly approached, hoping not to make her new friend even more upset.

"Sofia?" Penny asked as she stilled her hand.

The other girl stopped and blinked. "How did you know it was me?"

"Your steps are quieter than most students', and I smelled a mix of magic and sugar." She turned to the other girl and smiled. "You told me that you practiced magic a lot."

"Oh, right." She giggled and stepped forward, stroking Minimus gently. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I just get a little angry when people think I can't do something just because I can't see." She frowned. "My mom has a habit of doing that, so it's bad enough I get a double dose at school."

Sofia nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry. They mean well, but I understand that they can be pushy. Believe me. My first few days here, I honestly didn't fit in well, and while a few were helpful, many were overbearing…if not mean. They've learned their lesson since then, but I think it is just part of their nature to be…"

"Yeah, I get it." She dropped her bag to the ground and sat down, folding her arms around her legs. "I just wish people would let me be who I am and _see_ me…for myself, not for my blindness."

Sofia tilted her head before grinning. "I have an idea." She unhinged the door that held Minimus and pulled him out carefully, whispering to him her plan. She giggled when he agreed in their secret language of sorts. She then turned to Penny and grasped her hands, pulling her to her feet. "I have a surprise for you."

Penny raised an eyebrow at the other princess before gasping upon feeling Minimus's mane. "Sofia, what are you doing?"

"Nope, what are _we_ doing?" She giggled and held her hands under the other girl's feet, pushing her onto the flying horse's back. "Now hang on." She climbed up behind her and took the reins, instructing Minimus to take off.

"Whoa!" Penny held on as tightly as she could. It was her first time riding a flying horse, and it felt as though she were weightless. She finally began laughing in glee as Sofia wound them around the air and bypassed flocks of birds. "This is amazing, Sofia!"

Sofia smiled and finally landed Minimus to the ground again. She then handed the reins to the other girl and dismounted. "Now it's your turn."

"Wh-What?" Penny clung to the reins in uncertainty. "But Sofia…what if I mess up or fall?"

"You won't," she assured the princess of Brillancia. "Just trust Minimus. He knows what he's doing. Minimus, take care of her. Once around the campus and back, okay?" She smiled as he neighed in understanding.

'_How does she do that_?' Penny wondered silently as she felt Minimus lift off the ground again. It took a few minutes to get used to her solo ride, but she finally did and cheered happily as they soared through the skies.

"Princess Sofia," Sir Gillium greeted as he walked up to her, uncertain why she was outside when she should be in class. "What are you—?" He gasped as he looked skyward and watched Minimus flying in the air. "Why is Minimus flying solo?"

Sofia laughed nervously and pointed upward. "He's not exactly solo, Sir Gillium…"

The older man's mouth dropped when he noticed another princess on the horse's back. "What is going on? Why is she up there? _Who_ is she?"

Deciding to be completely honest, Sofia told him the entire story about Penny and her interest in the Flying Derby, along with her disability that had held her back for so long. Softening to her heartfelt pleas, and recognizing a similar storyline to Sofia herself, Sir Gillium finally understood her perspective.

"But it is still very dangerous," he informed the young girl. "And if she should get hurt, we will be responsible."

"She won't get hurt," Sofia assured him with a gentle smile. "I'll watch out for her."

A few minutes later, Minimus returned to his designated area and chattered excitedly to Sofia as Penny dismounted, feeling lightheaded after flying for so long.

"Sofia, that was amazing!" Penny giggled as Sofia handed her the cane and her backpack once more. "Thank you!" She reached out to hug the girl before realizing the person she'd ended up embracing was indeed _not_ Sofia. "Um…"

Sir Gillium placed his hands on the girl's shoulders and settled her back. "Princess Penny, I take it?" Seeing her swallow nervously and nod, he hummed thoughtfully. "Princess Sofia, I'll take things from here. Your friend and I have a few things to discuss before I send her back to class."

"Okay, Sir Gillium," she agreed before smiling. She whispered something reassuring to Penny, who nodded in response, before she left.

The day went by as usual, but no one saw a sign of Penny by the end of school. Sofia was worried, but her siblings assured her that she was probably with another teacher or something.

"I left her with Sir Gillium," she explained to them as they approached their flying coach, "and I didn't see her again after that. I hope she's okay."

"She's fine, Sof," James told her with a calming smile. "If Sir Gillium has her, she's fine. If Miss Nettle has her—" He grinned as Amber jabbed him with her elbow.

"Not funny, James!" She sighed and glanced at Sofia. "Penny will be okay, Sofia. You'll see."

Sofia nodded hesitantly as they lifted from the ground.

"Sofia!" Penny's voice rang through the air.

The three siblings turned and saw Penny's coach flying near them. "Penny?" they echoed together.

"Where have you been?" Sofia asked in relief. "I was worried!"

She giggled. "Sorry. I have good news to tell you—tomorrow! See ya!" The smile didn't leave her face as the coachman turned and led them in another direction.

"That was strange," Amber commented with a blink. "I wonder what happened."

"Guess we'll find out tomorrow," James suggested as he leaned back and relaxed into the seat.

"Mr. Cedric!" Sofia greeted happily as she entered his workshop later that afternoon. By that time, a storm had settled over Enchancia, and thunder echoed all around with some flashes of lightning, but that didn't deter the girl from visiting her favorite sorcerer. She smiled when she saw him peer up from his book.

"Well, look who's here," he chuckled as she dropped her bag near his door and ran over to hug him. He blinked at her sudden affection—a little bit more urgent than usual—and placed one hand on her back in response. "Everything all right, Princess?"

"Hmm?" She looked up and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah… I just missed you today." Seeing him offer her a mildly surprised look, she moved over and sat in her chair. "It was a long day," she explained.

"Oh, I see. Well, you have every right to miss me," he teased, making her laugh. He then walked to his bookcase and pulled out the secret book, extracting her new wand and walking over to the table to hand it to her. "Ready for our lessons?"

"Yes!" She grinned and waved it gently. "By the way, Mr. Cedric… I'm just curious, but is there a spell that heals blindness?"

Cedric pondered this before shrugging. "There are spells that handle things like that, but they're rather advanced." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," she sang cheerfully before grinning at him. "I'm ready now."

He chuckled and pulled out his own wand. "We'll see about that."

To be continued…

A/N: Yeah, I'm going to expand this a bit more. I may be able to wrap it up next chapter or the next, but I'm not sure yet. I had a whole bunch of ideas that came rushing at me, but I need space to make sure it works out like I want it to. :) We'll see what happens. ~AquaTurquoise

CedricAmber: Girl, pretty much ALL the good work is done at night for me. :p Kentucky! Love it up there. ;) I'm in Louisiana (and no, nowhere near New Orleans, lol). I seriously think I will get some bubbles soon and go play with them. Then again, my sister is a pre-k teacher, so she probably has some anyway…may just have to hijack them. :p I think the animators probably read some of these stories. I know the "Kim Possible" guys did. Haha. And my vision of Cedric's sister? Hmm… Brunette, probably skinny, long nose like you said, and I think she'd be about Cedric's height or taller. And I think she's sarcastic, funny, and probably a little bit evil. :D You know, the whole runs-in-the-family thing. Who knows?! I'm ready to find out though! And maybe I'll do another story where Cedric taking off his robe is THE central focus. :p For you and Royal Detective, and anyone else who wants to know. Haha.


	4. Dreams Do Come True

At First Sight

Summary: When a young blind girl transfers to Royal Prep, many people go out of their way to make her feel "comfortable" and welcomed. However, all she really wants is to be treated the same as they do, and to fulfill her dream of being in the Flying Derby. Can everyone's favorite princess see to it that she gets her wish? *Challenge winner theblindwriter95 requested this story.*

Disclaimer: I do not own Sofia the First or any characters associated with the show. :)

A/N: Okay, everyone! The final chapter has arrived. :) And for my fantastic reviewer and one of my favorite people ever, theblindwriter95, I hope I've done justice to your character of Penny and sincerely hope you've enjoyed this journey. It's been an honor. ;)

~*~Chapter Four: Dreams Do Come True~*~

"Happy birthday, Reina!" Penny said cheerfully as she found her way to her sister's bedroom. She was already dressed in her usual red and purple dress with some aid from one of the maids, and her hair was fully braided, so she was pretty much ready for school. She just wanted to make sure that she talked to her now four year old sister before she left.

"Thanks, sissy!" Reina gushed as she hurried over to Penny and jumped into her arms, giggling when the older girl gasped in surprise but managed to catch her. Her cane, however, clattered to the ground since she couldn't hold both at the same time. "We're to have birthday cake when you get back from school today."

"Is that right? Hmm." She leaned forward and kissed the little girl's cheek gently before letting her down to the floor and picking up the discarded cane. "And how old are you again?" she asked jokingly, knowing the other girl would be annoyed at her obvious question.

"Four, silly," she responded with a giggle. "And…" She looked around before whispering urgently, "I'll even let you have a corner piece!"

"Ooh," Penny whispered back just as excitedly, if nothing else, then only to make her sister happy. "All right, little one, I'm off to school. Don't grow anymore until I get back, okay?"

Reina grinned. "No promises."

"Vivian!" Sofia greeted cheerfully when she arrived on campus that morning. She rushed over to her dark-haired friend and took her hands. "Where have you been? Are feeling all right?"

Vivian smiled at her friend's concern. "I'm all right," she insisted but softly. She apparently had previously lost her voice, considering how quietly she was speaking. "I got sick a few nights ago and had to stay home to get better. I'm sorry if I worried you."

"It's all right. I'm just glad to see you back." She smiled toward James and Amber, who approached them curiously. "Hi, you two."

"Hi yourself," James joked with a grin. "Good to see you back, Vivian."

"Yes," Amber agreed. "Surprisingly enough, it's been kind of quiet without you." She laughed and shrugged. "Go figure."

"Well, I'm better now. Thank you all for worrying about me." She took one step forward and held a hand to her head. "I…" She then exhaled as her body gave out.

"Whoa!" James knelt quickly and caught the girl before she hit the ground. "Vivian? What's wrong?"

"I guess I haven't fully recovered," she said softly as the prince helped her to her feet. She smiled shyly at the blonde boy. "Thanks, James…"

He grinned sheepishly, still keeping one arm around her shoulders in case she collapsed again. "No problem. Are you going to be able to make it through the day?"

"I hope so, because I really don't want to miss any more school."

"Come on," Amber said, taking the girl's hand and leading her up the stairs. "Let's let Ms. Flora check you out and make sure you're okay. If nothing else, maybe she has a potion or something that can help you."

She nodded. "Thanks, Amber."

"James!" Amber called over her shoulder. "Let's go!"

He looked around, blinking. "Uh, okay! Coming! See ya, Sof!" He took off after his sister and friend.

Sofia watched after her three classmates until she heard her name called. She turned and smiled. "Good morning, Penny!"

Penny, using her cane, made her way over to her friend. "How are you?"

"I'm all right. By the way." She grinned as she pulled the girl up the stairs. "You owe me an explanation as to your disappearance yesterday, right?"

"Yeah…about that." She smiled brightly. "Sir Gillium told me that he would be all right if I rode in the Flying Derby."

"Really?" the auburn-haired girl gasped in surprise. "The derby is…"

"Tomorrow," Penny acquiesced with a nod. "That's why I kind of vanished yesterday. He let me practice, with the permission of the fairies, and I managed to do really well…for someone visually impaired, anyway."

"Don't be silly," Sofia returned with a shake of her head. "You can do more than many sighted people can, Penny. Just believe in yourself, okay?"

"I… I will. I _do_."

"Good." The youngest royal of Enchancia laughed and led her friend into the school.

The day went on much like it normally did. Vivian received proper attention and got better as the day progressed. The derby team was able to practice for their game the next day, and Penny became comfortable riding without someone sharing a flying horse. It took many close calls before she was fully confident in her ability.

"You will do well, my dear," Sir Gillium acknowledged after the practice was complete. "Just have confidence in yourself."

"I will, Sir Gillium," she promised before feeling a tap on her shoulder.

Her coachman stood behind her. "Princess Penny," he greeted gently. "It's time for us to get you back to the castle. Princess Reina's birthday party begins in a few hours."

"Oh, right! Thanks, Phillip." She smiled back at the team and coach as Phillip linked arms with her gently. "I will see you all tomorrow—no pun intended." She giggled as they left.

"Are you sure about this, Sofia?" Hugo asked uncertainly with his arms folded. "I mean, she can't exactly see what's going on, and if something happened to her…"

"Don't worry, Hugo. Penny will be fine. We just have to believe in her." She smiled and turned back to Maximus, grinning at him. "Ready for another round?"

He responded in excitement, though to the others it just sounded like a rowdy neigh, as usual.

"Penny!" Reina giggled excitedly and ran to her sister as she entered the dining room. She threw her arms around her older sister and squealed in delight when Penny lifted her into her arms.

"How was school, my darling?" Queen Penelope asked gently as the girls moved to sit at the table with their parents.

"It was great, actually…" She smiled gently. "I…well, I will tell you later. Let's celebrate Reina's birthday first."

King Alonso nodded in agreement. "Yes, let's! Happy birthday, Reina!"

The newly-turned four year old blinked with wide amethyst eyes as a large cake was placed before her. After it was settled, numerous gifts littered the table, much to the little girl's delight.

"Wow," Reina gushed happily. "Thank you, Mama! Thank you, Papa!" She clapped her hands in excitement as Niles approached and cut several pieces of cake. She held up her hand. "Wait just a minute there, Nilesy!"

He rolled his eyes at her oh-so-clever nickname. "Yes, Princess?"

"Give Penny the corner, okay? I kind of, sort of, promised her one this morning."

"As you wish, Princess Reina." He smiled and passed a plate with cake toward Penny, who felt for her fork and began eating.

"Mm, this is even better than last year's cake," she told them before turning toward Nile's direction. "Thanks, Niles."

"My pleasure, Princess Penny."

After a while of celebrating, including opening gifts and eating cake, Reina was sent to bed so that Penny could talk to her parents in privacy.

"Mom… Dad…" Penny fumbled with a loose napkin and inhaled before sighing. "I…need to tell you something."

"Are you all right?" King Alonso wondered with a frown. "Is someone at school bothering you?"

"No, dad, it's nothing like that." She then let a small smile form on her lips. "I've been invited to ride in the…Flying Derby tomorrow." She paused, waiting for a reprimand, namely from her mother.

"Really?" Queen Penelope asked instead, dabbing her mouth with her cloth napkin. "I see. And you choose now to tell us?"

"I'm…sorry, Mom, but I didn't find out until just recently…" She sighed. "I understand that you probably don't want me to ride in the derby, but…I can't just go through life not trying something fun and exciting. I can't let my blindness get the better of me."

"Hmm…" Queen Penelope held up a hand to her husband, who appeared as though he wanted to interrupt. Instead, she smiled gently at him. "Penny…" She watched her daughter raise her head and gaze unseeingly at her. "What time is your derby tomorrow?"

Her heart leapt, and she played with the necklace around her neck. "Right after school…"

"We'll be there."

Penny gasped in surprise before breaking into a large smile. "Really, Mom?"

"I can't have my daughter participating in something she truly believes in without cheering her on, right?"

King Alonso beamed at his wife, proud of her for coming this far. Had it been just a year ago, she probably would have forbade it due to uncertainty.

"Oh, thank you, Mom! Thanks, Dad…even though you didn't say much of anything."

He chuckled and grasped his wife's hand. "You're welcome, my dear. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow."

The following afternoon came quicker than expected. The stands were filled with cheering students, teachers, and families alike. The first change to the derby had occurred over two years ago, in which they'd allowed a girl to participate. And Sofia soared high and proud on her overlooked flying horse Maximus. She never got over how thrilling it was to be in the derby and have people cheering her on.

But perhaps the loudest cheers were for the newcomer, a blind girl named Penny, who proved that nothing should hold one back: not fear, not status…not any sort of hindrance that could easily make or break the person it settled upon. Princess Penny of Brillancia embraced her blindness and taught others to look past the obvious and _see_ what truly lay beneath. Her parents and sister were there to cheer her on, and they probably were the loudest in the crowd. It made her swell with joy as she recognized their voices of sheer adulation.

And while she didn't win her first Flying Derby, that certainly wasn't going to stop her from trying again.

The end

A/N: Just to answer a question that will probably be asked—I'm sorry for not writing the derby in full details. For me, the point of this was to show growth not only with Penny but with people around her. I hope I was able to do that for the most part. I've enjoyed the journey with this story, and I sincerely thank you all for supporting me through it, and I offer HUGE thanks to theblindwriter95 for the request in the first place. ;)

**Responding to "Good as Gold" Reviews**

Theblindwriter95: I'm glad! :) For both reasons, and I also agree about the Fly Cakes! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story. I'm sorry it took so long for me to write/finish it. I'd love to see you expand on it at some point if you want to, since Penny is your character. ;) I can just imagine all the fun things you can do with her. She's truly an inspiration. Don't let anything hold you back. :D

Sofia2015: Thanks, girl! There will be more coming soon.

CedricAmber: (both reviews) I forgot about my older Henry. :p Whoops! I'm glad someone pays attention. Haha. And yeah, we'll call him the "new Henry." Hehe. And Rapunzel may have been hinting at a follow up! We'll see. ;) I'm just glad the story finally got written. I almost deleted it. :p And thanks, I love the interaction between Sofia and Cedric with a sprinkle of Rapunzel silliness entwined. :) Makes things interesting for sure. YAY! You get the movie for Easter?! Awesome. :) Seriously, it's amazing. I hope you enjoy it. Oh, and you're looking forward to some of the new stories, huh? Well, tell me a title that stands out the most to you, and I may just start working on it Monday (since I'm still off for Easter break). :D And what we need is a chat room or something… I'll look into it. ;) That way we're not flooding the reviews. :P And glad I got to melt your heart a little bit with the Grace and Amber interaction; very sweet. *My Sofia* YAY! A hug from "Mr. Cedric!" :D Let's go! We have trouble to cause! *runs off*

Royal Detective: I know, right! Lol. Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked it. And yeah, Amber would be worried about James's cannon obsession. Lol. Cedric cracked me up, pointing fingers at Sofia almost instantly. Like, "She did it!" Sad thing is, she probably did. Haha. And the robe thing…should be fun to get flour out, no? Yep, I was out for Good Friday too. We did a play at my church, and my mom played Mary. It was kind of awesome. Made some people cry. Me, I just sang. :D

LongLiveNiNoKuni: Yeah, I like having Amber and James do some good. It makes them more relatable, I guess. Not a miracle worker, lol, and I don't know about the conversation thing. Like I told CedricAmber, may need to look into a chat room or something. :P Who knows? And I don't know, I just guessed that you were a girl. Haha. And I'm not worried about winning the contest. I just like to write, so choose whatever story you think meets your requirements. I'm just writing to write because I enjoy it. :) Like you said, if people go back and look at the reviews, they'll find the details they need, I suppose.

To all who celebrate: Happy Easter! Otherwise, I hope you have a great weekend. Enjoy yourselves! Thanks for sticking with me through this journey of "At First Sight," and a HUGE thank you to theblindwriter95 for requesting it in the first place! Until next time! ~AquaTurquoise


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